Trump to GOP: Force U.S. default to make sure Obama isn’t re-elected

Conservative real estate titan Donald Trump told Fox News Monday that Republicans should make sure President Barack Obama isn’t re-elected by refusing any comprehensive deal to raise the debt ceiling, even going so far as to suggest that the country should be allowed to default on its debts.

“Obama doesn’t want the six-month extension because that almost ensures he doesn’t get re-elected,” Trump told Fox & Friends hosts Steve Doocy, Gretchen Carlson and Brian Kilmeade. “I think, frankly, the Republicans would be crazy, unless they get 100 percent of the deal that they want right now, to make any deal.”

“The fact is that unless Republicans get 100 percent of what they want — and that may include getting rid of Obamacare which is a total disaster — they should not make a deal other than a minor extension which would take you before the elections which would ensure that Obama doesn’t get elected, which would be a great thing.”

“If you look at the average American when they’re polled, it seems the President of the United States gets less of the blame than Republicans do, but you see Republicans with maximum leverage,” Kilmeade observed.

“Absolutely. The Republicans have the leverage. I don’t care about polls. When it comes time to default, they’re not going to remember any of the Republicans’ names. They are going to remember in history books one name, and that’s Obama,” Trump opined.

About the Author

David Edwards has served as an editor at Raw Story since 2006. His work can also be found at Crooks & Liars, and he's also been published at The BRAD BLOG. He came to Raw Story after working as a network manager for the state of North Carolina and as as engineer developing enterprise resource planning software. Follow him on Twitter at @DavidEdwards.